LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS -- IF YOU ARE MISTAKENLY THINKING OF GOING WITH ALLTEL, FOUR WORDS FOR YOU--NO WAY IN H_LL!!

In April our daughters cellphone was lost/stolen at her Prom. We tried calling Alltel, there was nothing in the voice menu about lost/stolen phones and their 'customer service' was closed at that time of night. After looking on the internet, I called the Alltel phone insurance number and filed a claim. During the call I asked several times if the phone can be disabled so no one could use it, activate it, or run any unusual charges on it. I was assured several times that would be the case. Several days later we received the replacement phone. When the May bill came out it was over three times what it should have been and had a lot of extra charges on it (GPS and ringtones). We called Alltel and were told these charges began the day after we had been assured by Alltel personnel that it wouldn't be possible.

We were told by the CSR (customer service rep) that she couldn't do anything about it only a supervisor. I called back and after a heated discussion (we didn't understand why we should have to pay when they could access the tape of the call to their incompetent or untruthful insurance person) she agreed to reverse the charges. She gave us a corrected balance to be paid which was still a little high but we were tired of having to explain and ask everything at least three times because of the mix of their personnel's language issues (all our calls except one went to people with English as a distant second-at best-language) or denseness.

I paid the balance given. Today, a couple weeks later, our service is suspended because of the excessive unpaid balance. Morals of the story

1) Alltel's personnel seem to be perfectly comfortable lying and giving false, bad, and misleading information. Apparently whatever it takes to get you off the phone NOTHING TO DO WITH DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM.

2) It seems as though Alltel's call center is either located in a country and staffed with people with poor English skills or just staffed with people with poor English skills. Bad news.

3) The customer service and business practices of Alltel is so horrid that you should not use their service even if it were the only game in town!!! Just imagine how thrilled my wife is that I talked her into switching from AT&T (bad phone service but great customer service) to Alltel with their nightmare customer service!

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Customer Service? - Not

Posted by Deedur on 04/17/2009

MIDLAND, TEXAS -- I have been a customer of Alltel Wireless beginning in late 2000 under the Cellular One Co, which was taken over by Alltel. They have now been taken over by Verizon. Through my entire history with the company, I have never been late with a payment as it was set up from the beginning as an auto pay account. I have stuck to my plan minutes and never had over charges or complaints. In short, I have been an easy customer to have on their list. In late March, 2009, the company texted me that my plan minutes had been way overused. They then called me offering a larger plan. On explaining to first one person on the phone then another, I went to the local office to straighten out the problem. March 20, 2009, I dealt with an associate at the local store who added a supplemental plan, at a cost, to my bill to handle overused data minutes and told me he couldn't do anything else until I had my bill. I never received a bill.

April 17, they charged my account $392 more than my usual bill. I went back to the local office and was told there wasn't a supervisor present, the associate couldn't do anything but issue a credit which would take several days to weeks to reach me. I don't know about you but I don't have that kind of money just lying around. I have talked to several people at the local office and by phone and have received nothing but run-around from all of them. A wireless company set up to take money from my account wirelessly will snail mail a refund when they get around to tending to that minor detail! Needless to say, I am not a satisfied customer nor will I be a customer one minute after my "contract" finishes. I wanted to send an email to the company about this treatment and what I intend to do.

Low and behold, there is no such thing as contact information on their website. When the "Contact Us" button is clicked, you are routed to a log-in screen. OK fine, I logged in again and clicked the contact button again. Guess what, I was routed to the log-in screen. Totally unacceptable customer service!

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The Entire Remaining Balance On My Pre-Paid Account Was Confiscated!

Posted by Toni I. on 03/10/2009

BOCA RATON, FLORIDA -- I have been an Alltel pre-paid wireless customer since November 2008, and after checking the balance on my account the other day, I noticed that the entire remaining balance of $27.15 was missing from my account.

After calling Alltel customer service and waiting on hold for almost 20 minutes, I was told by a customer service representative that Alltel had "confiscated" my remaining balance because that I had what they considered to be "excessive use of roaming". It seems that I live just outside of an Alltel cell tower, and whenever I make or receive calls at my home, I am using another carrier's cell tower, and therefore considered to be "roaming"!

Since I was assured that my home was in Alltel's home service area when I established service, I asked that the amount that was "confiscated" be credited back into my account, but they told me that they couldn't do that. I then asked them to refund the amount in the form of a paper check, and they said that they couldn't do that either... It seems that the "confiscated" funds have been forfeited, and I will not be receiving one dime back from Alltel! They told me that if I want to continue to use my Alltel pre-paid wireless service in the future, I will have to deposit more money into my account with no guarantee that this money won't also be "confiscated"! Does Alltell Wireless think that I'm an idiot? NO WAY AM I GOING TO DEPOSIT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THIS ACCOUNT!

I intend on porting my cell phone number to another wireless carrier so I can keep my number while ending my relationship with these deceitful thieves. I will also write a letter to the head honcho at Alltel Wireless detailing my recent experiences, and if they still refuse to give me my money back, I will file a case in my local small claims court.

I'd like to advise anyone contemplating becoming a customer of this company to heed my advice:

TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE... ALLTEL WIRELESS ARE A BUNCH OF TWO-BIT THIEVES!

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Terrible Defective Phone Exchange Program

Posted by jlynn08 on 09/26/2008

I recently purchased a new phone from Alltel, the LG Scoop, in July. For some unexplained reason one night (in early September)after it had been sitting in my purse for a few hours I took it out and most of the screen had gone white. The phone still worked for dialing numbers and such, but I could not see who was calling me or do anything else on it really. Naturally I thought that the phone must be defective since I had never dropped it or gotten it wet or anything (it looks brand new still), so I call up Alltel to ask for a replacement phone since I was still under my one-year warranty.

Soon enough I got my replacement phone and sent my defective phone back and thought it was all behind me. About a week or two later my defective phone got sent back to me with a crude diagnosis report along with it saying that my warranty did not cover the replacement of my phone since there had been "physical damage beyond normal wear and tear"... again my phone looked brand new since I didn't even take the protective coverings off of it until I sent it in. Of course I was baffled about how their tech. department came to this conclusion and I read their cute little explanation about how sometimes damage can only be seen when examining the inside of the phone and can be caused by sitting with the phone in your pocket for example. It seems to me like they could get almost anyone with this little scapegoat since I obviously can't look at the inside of my phone and tell that it's not damaged.

I had my parents call up Alltel since I wasn't in the mood to deal with them and it's hard enough to get them to talk to me since no one seems to understand that I'm authorized under their plan and they told me that Alltel told them that they had never gotten the phone and that LG was the one who did the report. So they had them call LG and LG said that they had never seen it either. On the next try they finally got Alltel to say that they did indeed look at the phone (the diagnosis report had their logo right on it) and that they would call us back in a couple of days to explain the situation.

I just got a call back today saying that I have to go to the nearest Alltel store (which is an hour and a half away from me -- I'm away at college) to go get a new phone since I can't get one via exchange by mail, and that I have to send my working phone back asap. Further, my dad explained that they told him if I brought my defective phone in and it was indeed like new that they would probably give me a new one for free... but I still have to drive an hour and a half to get a new phone because they want this one back or they'll charge me $165.00. For some reason I can't just keep this phone and save myself the outrageous gas money and the time because apparently this one is worth more than $100 more than one I could get in a store. They make a whole lot of sense don't they?

So I have to go to this Alltel store tomorrow and see what happens, but given my previous experiences I doubt they even know that I'm coming (they're supposed to know). I'll probably have to pay $60 or so that I don't have for a brand new phone that I shouldn't have had to replace in the first place.

I'm sick of dealing with Alltel...

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Alltel Sucks

Posted by misslinda on 03/25/2008

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA -- When I started my service 2 years ago I had 2 phones One worked OK the other was sent back at least 5 or 6 times ( I forget) never have the situation resolved. They told me the best thing to do was to buy a new phone at my cost. Well I wasn't going to do that. I felt like they should have stood behind their product and gave me a phone that worked. I paid the 200.00 to get out of that phone. I continued to use the other until it finally died. At this point I decided to wait out my jail sentence with Alltel and then just move on with another company. I did go to Verizon and start a plan with them. Feb 9 or so WAS MY release date for Alltel. I went to the local office to pay my bill, which was late ( I would forget about easily considering I hadn't had a phone that worked for a few months) so I had a late fee that was fine I paid and had my bill up-to-date. I think this was in Jan.

At the local office they could not input on my account that I wanted to discontinue my service. I had to wait until my end date and call an 800 number I had to do this in Feb. I called but must have called a day or two late plus also had a bill of 140.00 this is for one phone 39.99 a month I was told I had a reconnection of 35.00 I don't recall asking to be reconnected ever. She said she could not adjust the bill but I could have a credit on my next bill. I told her there would not be another bill I was done with this plan. She said she was sorry that was the only way. I figured just pay it and move on. WELL this month I get another bill for 49.00 for the month of March. I call the 800 number they tell me there is nothing they can do they do not prorate. If I recall I told them Jan. at local office then in Feb. on the phone.

If that were the case the lady I talked to about the reconnect fee should have still giving me the credit on my next bill if I was getting one, she didn't bring that up. So if I would have stayed with them they would have adjusted the bill but not if I was leaving. I'm going to write them a letter put the bill back in the envelope and send it back. Maybe I should bill for those first few months when my original phone didn't work and I still had to pay the bill for that phone even though I rarely had it in my possession to use for the first couple months. I don't think Alltel cares about customer service there only mission is to look for new ways to swindle money out of you. I would never go with Alltel again I tried it when it was cellone and never had good luck tried again when they were Alltel guess the only thing they changed was their name.

Thanks for letting me vent

linda

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A "painful" Customer Service Experience at AllTel

Posted by Rose on 09/15/2007

OHIO -- I would like to report to you the most unsatisfactory help line experience I have ever had:

Today (Sept. 15 2007, 10:30-11:20am, Sat.), I called your customer service line 1800-255-8351, which connected me to someone in India:

1) I waited for more than 20 minutes to get one who answered my phone call;
2) The lady on the line was not knowledgeable and helpful: she told me that the account number was my cell phone number. -- I told her that it was wrong. She said "yes"
3) Then, I said "now please go to www.alltel.com", click on "Register now" link on the home page;
4) then I showed her that on the AllTel website, the account number and cell phone number were different - it was like that I needed to teach her on AllTel website and operation, rather than her to provide help service to me, a Alltel customer;

5) then she said "hold the line" please, and disappeared and held me online for more than 5 minutes;
6) after she came back (maybe asking help from her friends there?), she said "OK, please use your phone number and PIN I give you now to log in". - she gave the PIN: 1279
7) I followed up her instruction to log in using my cell phone number and PIN, and tried 3 times, but rejected by the AllTecl website. So I told her that I tried it according to her instruction 3 times, but failed.

8) She became inpatient and said "Sir, can you keep trying according to my instruction?" (it sounds like "you are so stupid, even cannot key in your cell phone number and PIN number correctly!")
9) I was afraid now, so I asked and tried to get the confirmation from her: "is your given PIN the same as the Password that was asked by the AllTel website?". She replied "of course, it's the same!" (she used her term PIN to replace AllTel's term "Password" to confuse customer, but she put the blame to customer, "are you so stupid not to know this common knowledge?!").

10) I was so nervous (and also felt in my mind that I was so stupid like many ordinary and kind American customers would think), and carefully followed up her instruction to key in my cell phone number and PIN (must be PIN according to her, AllTel was wrong to call it "password") she gave me, but the website rejected me again - I kept trying it for other 5 times, and again all failed.

11) Then she said "at least I got it through when I tried it" (if I would have the privilege as a system administer as her, I can surely access to any account as well!). Then she said "OK, please hold the online and I'll connect you to our technical help line!"
12) after about 30 minutes, she received my help to teach her the difference between Alltel account number and Alltel cell phone number, and she "successfully put a blame" on me not to know that PIN and password were actually the same thing (only Alltel used password to confuse customer and she used the right one "PIN" to show her rich knowledge to use the right term), and she "forcefully" asked me to try keying in my cell phone number and PIN (or password?) for more than 8 times (my typing sill has been improved substantially as a result, thanks to her, an excellent Alltel Call Center helper!)..., she finally gave up to help me (because a customer like me, so stupid and knowing little about so advanced IT technology like ordinary stupid American customers do - ironically my job is to teach IT for living in US! I felt so shameful that I knew so little when I talked with a young Call center lady who appeared to know so much more!), and wanted to connect me to the technical service line.

12) What a relief to me - at least I have a new chance not to be considered "a stupid customer"! Maybe I could have a chance to report this unusual customer service (or a better name for it to be "customer torturing") experience to AllTel, so other "stupid American customers" like me may not have to experience it again next time.

13) the service line rang for about one minute with beautiful music for me to enjoy (unfortunately, I felt so shamed and guilty myself, no mood to enjoy such superb and high class music provided free by AllTel).
14) Suddenly, the line was cut off and left me with all deadly silence - I was really silenced totally ... I didn't have another chance to talk with another service person of AllTel (maybe she/he will a really good and qualified person providing quality customer service and I could provide feedback to her/him), but no chance was given, unless I wanted to spend another more than 50 minutes to call Alltel customer service helpline again? Will you? ... I won't!

15) So I decided to spend time to report this most unusual customer service experience in my while life to the public, so other "stupid American customers" like me may not have to experience it again next time.

thanks,

an ordinary customer of AllTel.com

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Read before posting!

Posted by Klynn on 08/24/2007

000000, MISSOURI -- I have recently looked online for some of the Consumer Reports about Alltel. I have worked for Alltel for about 8 months and wanted to see what exactly everyone thought about us around the US. I deal with people on the phone all day and I work in the sales department for Alltel. I talk to around 100 customer a day giving the kind of day I am having.

I am actually very confused by some of the things people are writing in their "3 cents". I work for Alltel....Alltel is a business....they are out to make money like every other business in the world, so why if it that people bad mouth us for doing just that. I think Alltel is a great company to work for and has their mind set on the customers. Now do you run into a customer service rep who doesn't know what they are talking about...of course! Do you run into a sales rep that might have given wrong information to you....of course! We are all humans and make mistakes. And by all means we try to correct them as best we can. Alltel, like any other company, has rules and policies in place for their employees so they are on the same page during all calls and you don't receive different information from different people. I am not saying our training is perfect, that depends on the rep you get on the other line, but I will say we are ALL trained very well and take our jobs very seriously. I have not worked for Alltel very long but it hurts me to see so many people talking about how bad we are.

As far as some of the complaints when it comes to my circle....yes you do have to be on a rate plan $59.99 or higher to get it, but does it stop you from using ALL your anytime minutes and lets you call ANYONE on that list for free regardless the network...YES! So how do you expect to call grandma and grandpa on Verizons network during the day without using your minutes? I think its a great idea and a lot of people are coming to Alltel to just get that promotion.

Some of you complain about all the rate plans we have and there is a new one every week. OK so if you didn't have as many choices you know you would complain about that. NOT every ones talking habits are the same so we want as many options as possible.

I also think half of you are liars! Some of the things you say that the Alltel reps tell you I don't think would ever happen! Unless you are blatantly lied to, I don't see someone just making information up to get money off of you for the good of the company. I love Alltel and I think they are the BEST cell phone company out there right now, but to say they lie to you straight up, I don't see that happening. If they did lie to you, they won't have their job very long because Alltel is all about the customers and it pains me to see that so many people dislike the service.

About our phones/pricing/2 year agreements....NO matter where you go, you will sign some type of agreement for a new phone unless you are on a prepaid service to get a discount. And the price of that phone is made up by you staying with the company that long. Remember, Alltel is a business and trying to make money just like you are!

As far as the FCC making it mandatory for all the phones to be E911 compliant....how is that a complain!?!?!?! All that means is that when you call 911 from your home phone, because that phone is linked to an address, they can find you. Wireless is just that, wireless, so how can 911 find you if you are in a cornfield out in the middle of no where. The phones have to be E911 compliant meaning if you call 911, they can find you within a small specific radius rather than driving all over the place and getting there when its too late. It's for your safety and I think its a great thing they are trying to do. Alltel offers discounts to people who need the new compliant phones so why the worries. Do you want to send off your kids without an E911 comliant phones!?!? I didn't think SO!

As many complaints as I have read about Alltel, I can still read so many more about the other carriers. We have so many things about Alltel that no other carrier can touch.

Anytime rate plan changes (backdated if need be), the latest and coolest phones, great customer service and knowledgeable staff, supervisors and managers that truly care about the customer and a CEO that will do anything for the sake of a customer.

Like I said, Alltel is a business and they are trying to stay afloat just like any other business. I do hope you really reconsider Alltel service after reading this and I truly hope you get me on the phone, that way I can make sure you are getting the best service Alltel can offer you and you can really see what a great company they are.

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Ripped off

Posted by laddieboy on 10/21/2006

HELENA, MONTANTA -- About July 25, 2005 I stopped into the Alltel store in Helena Montana. My sales person was Beau. I told him I might not be staying in Helena and might be re-locating back to Everett Wa. I asked Beau that if I did move out of Montana if I could get a local number. He told me yes. Thus I purchased a phone and had to enter into a two year contract. When my home sold and was closing at the end of July 2006 my cell phone would not hook up to the car charger. Since I was going to be traveling through seven states for 4 weeks on vacation and would be leaving Montana on July 28, 2006, I stopped back into the store to see about getting a new car charger. I took the phone in with me and Beau pointed out the piece that holds the charger in was missing from the phone. The good news was that I had a one year warranty on the phone. Beau told me they would give me a loaner phone. I asked if it came with a car charger and was told no I would have to buy one. He asked where I wanted the repaired phone mailed to. I told him my address in Everett WA and again asked about getting a local number when I was through with my travels. He told me to just call when I needed the new number.

Beau told me I would have to return the loaner phone back to the Helena office when my phone was repaired. I told him this could leave me without a phone for part of my trip. That was not acceptable to me. I asked him about purchasing a new phone and he told me I would have to pay the rack rate. I felt like I was in between a rock and a hard spot. I did not want to travel without a phone and according to Beau I would have to mail the phone back when mine was fixed. So I purchased a new phone for just under $200.00. I figured I would still be able to use it when I got to Washington State.

When I returned to Washington I called Alltel customer service for my local number. I was informed that they did not have local numbers for Washington State and basically was called a liar. Your customer service rep told me I was promised coverage not a local number. I don’t recall her being with me when I purchased the first phone. She also said if I terminated the contract I would have to buy my way out for $200.00. I sell real estate in WA and needed the phone for business. I even called a second time and tried to this resolved and was told the same thing.

Had I had a properly trained rep I would have been told when I stopped in the store to get the phone repaired in July 2006 not to purchase a new phone as it would be useless to me in a month and I should have been released from the contract period. This was the first time to right a wrong.

I was told to call the local store in Helena. Well I did call that number over and over and over. No answer.

I had to make a trip back to Helena to get my belongings out of a storage unit. I arrived in Helena on the 27 of September. Since I could not get this store to answer the phone. I was told from the rep at the store that that they don't answer the phone. I stopped into the store and walked up to the first available sales agent and said "I was told that I could get a local number for Washington State". The sale rep said “you can, when you get there just call for a local number". I said no "I can’t" and he said for a second time that I could. At that point I saw another sales rep start shaking his head no. I then said thank you for telling me twice that I could because that makes four times I was told by two reps that I could get a local number in Everett Wa. Long story short the manager said they would release me from the contract and I would not have to pay the additional $200.00 to buy my way out. I asked about getting reimbursed for the phone I purchased at the store before my trip. I was told no. At this point the reps in the store were now aware of what was said to me and I’m sure it was discussed. This was the second time to right a wrong.

When I returned home I called Alltel and asked about getting my money back on the phone. The customer service rep was very nice and said that she would try and get my money back for a phone that was useless to me and one I never would have purchased in the first place had I known that I could not use it in a month. She came back on the line and said that the final word was that since I had the phone for over 14 days that I could not return it. This is so asinine that it is almost funny. How would I know that I could not get a local number until I called back four weeks later when I returned to WA. This was the third time to right a wrong. It appears that Alltel will never admit to a mistake and will go to the end of the earth to avoid doing the right thing.

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SCAMS & LIES!!!

Posted by Sisko on 08/11/2006

CHANDLER, ARIZONA -- I've been an Alltel customer for years on end. My problems with this company and their lack of cooperation seems endless. I've had problems in the past with roaming charges showing up on my bill. When I pointed out that I had not been in those areas of my state making calls, I was told the signal will jump to the next closest tower if the one in my area is not available. I chased them for 3 months trying to receive credits that I was promised but was unable to make any progress. NOW, I activated a second line on my account and tried to cancel the other because it was used for a business that I had recently sold. I was told I would be charged a $200 cancellation fee for the original line unless I waited until June. So I paid $50 per month for 3 months on a line I wasn't using. When June came, I called to cancel and was told that I needed to cancel on the exact day of the month I signed up on 12 years prior which I had missed by 3 days. Since I missed that day, my contract on that line was automatically renewed for 2 more years. They refused to help and gave me the # of an office Manager. I called and left 7 messages over 3 weeks and never received a return call to this day. I tried to cancel the second line as a result and was told I would have to pay $200 to cancel that one also. So now I'm up to $400 in cancellation fees if I cancel or change companies within 2 years!! While trying to straighten this out, I was told that since I bought a new Razor phone with a rebate, I HAD to sign up for a new more expensive service plan or face being charged outrages prices by the minute rather than continuing on my Unlimited Plan because my new phone was not compatible with my old plan.?? I went into a location in Chandler AZ and found an employee that told me "off the record" that I was being lied to by the Rep. because he was probably seeking a commission and not to worry about it. I called again in August to once again try to cancel the second line I wasn't using and was told there was nothing he could do and to continue to try to call the Manager that wouldn't return my calls! THEN, he started in with the same story of how I needed to sign up for a new more expensive plan because my new phone wasn't compatible!!!! I explained I was never told any of this when I bought the phone, he offered a half assed apology, refused to cancel my other line without a $200 fee and continued to try to get me to agree to convert to a more expensive plan!

I'm done! I'll be cancelling it all when I get back into town. This company needs a good old fashioned class action law sute!! It should be illegal to be lied to, given misinformation and to renew contracts without consent, explanation, notification or signatures. Now, I have to choose between being raped financially or destroying my credit.

I'M WORNING EVERYONE I CAN NOT TO USE THIS COMPANY!!!

THEY NEED TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS!

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Screwed by Alltel

Posted on 05/29/2006

I purchased a 2 year contract with Alltel from one of their reps who was standing under an Alltel sign at a Wal-Mart in the Pacific Northwest. I told him I was moving in 2 weeks to the West coast and although I was being assigned an area code - there, where I purchased the phone and service - that I'd need a local area code and number upon arriving on the West coast. He said fine. No problem.

Once on the West Coast I called to get my number changed. Was told, "Alltel doesn't have area codes were you are." I told 3 separate customer service people the same story. That I was promised a local number. No one would help me. I said, "OK, then I want to cancel the contract." Alltel said, "OK, that will be a $200 penalty."

So I tried to call corporate and some woman at that number said that corporate NO LONGER accepts calls from consumers. (Really.)

So I emailed corporate and, of course, got no response. Yesterday the cell phone died. I've had it all of a month. So I called Alltel and they suggested they cancel my service and that I track down the minimum wage guy from Wal-Mart who sold me this bogus plan to begin with.

See where I'm going with this? Currently I have no phone service and it is left to me to get the Wal-Mart/Alltel guy to confirm that he not only promised me what he probably KNEW he couldn't give me...but I have to get this guy to refund my $200. We all know that isn't going to happen.

I am outraged. One of my least favorite Alltel conversations was when a phone customer service rep told me that Alltel has NO control over what these Alltel reps say. NO CONTROL??????

I know I'm going to be billed immediately for the $200 and I'm stuck with their very dead cell phone.